A survey of patient perceptions of dental charges

The aim of this study was to examine patients' perceptions of charges for dental treatment. A sample of 96 patients attending the University Dental Hospital of Manchester completed two short questionnaires on the monetary value of various dental treatments (a dental examination, a scaling, an amalgam restoration, a crown, an extraction, a denture, a root filling and a radiograph). The first questionnaire gave no details of the procedures and also asked patients which of the items of treatment they had experienced. The second questionnaire asked about the monetary value of the same items but gave the patients a short description of what the procedure entailed. The mean values for all the items of treatment were significantly higher in the second questionnaire than in the first. Patients who had a crown placed a significantly higher value on this treatment than patients who did not have a crown. The implications for pricing strategies in general dental practice are discussed.